Colocasia plant named ‘Mojito’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Colocasia  plant named ‘Mojito’, characterized by its tall and upright plant habit; vigorous growth habit; rapid growth rate; large ovate-shaped variegated leaves that are green, dark green and black in color; and red purple-colored leaf petioles with very dark-colored longitudinal streaks and stripes.

Botanical designation: Colocasia esculenta.

Cultivar denomination: ‘MOJITO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Colocasia plant, botanically known as Colocasia esculenta, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Mojito’.

The new Colocasia plant is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of Colocasia esculenta ‘Midnight’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,887. The new Colocasia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor on a single plant of ‘Midnight’ within a population of plants of ‘Midnight’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Apopka, Fla. in May, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Colocasia plant by tissue culture in a controlled environment in Apopka, Fla. since Nov. 15, 2007 has shown that the unique features of this new Colocasia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Colocasia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Mojito’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Mojito’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Colocasia:

-   -   1. Tall and upright plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit; rapid growth rate.     -   3. Large ovate-shaped variegated leaves that are green, dark         green and black in color.     -   4. Red purple-colored leaf petioles with very dark-colored         longitudinal streaks and stripes.

Plants of the new Colocasia differ from plants of the parent, ‘Midnight’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Colocasia are more vigorous and grow faster         than plants of ‘Midnight’.     -   2. Plants of the new Colocasia are larger than plants of         ‘Midnight’.     -   3. Plants of the new Colocasia have larger leaves than plants of         ‘Midnight’.     -   4. Plants of the new Colocasia and ‘Midnight’ differ in leaf         color as plants of ‘Midnight’ have black-colored leaves.     -   5. Plants of the new Colocasia and ‘Midnight’ differ in leaf         petiole coloration as plants of ‘Midnight’ have black-colored         leaf petioles.

Plants of the new Colocasia can be compared to plants of Colocasia esculenta ‘Illustris’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Apopka, Fla., plants of the new Colocasia differed primarily from plants of ‘Illustris’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Colocasia and ‘Illustris’ differed in leaf         color and color pattern as plants of ‘Illustris’ had leaves with         green-colored venal areas and black-colored intervenal areas.     -   2. Plants of the new Colocasia and ‘Illustris’ differed in leaf         petiole coloration as plants of ‘Illustris’ had blackish brown         and green-colored leaf petioles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Colocasia plant. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Colocasia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Mojito’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of the upper surface of a typical leaf of ‘Mojito’.

The photograph on the third sheet is a close-up view of typical leaf petioles of ‘Mojito’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 20-cm containers in Apopka, Fla. during the summer in a polyethylene-covered shaded greenhouse in Apopka, Fla. under conditions and cultural practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Colocasia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 23° C. to 33° C. and night temperatures ranged from about 20° C. to 33° C. Plants were four months old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Colocasia esculenta ‘Mojito’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of Colocasia     esculenta ‘Midnight’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,887. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About one week at 29° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two weeks at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plants, summer.—About three             weeks at 29° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plants, winter.—About four             weeks at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fleshy; white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.         -   Plant/growth habit.—Upright and tall plant habit; inverted             triangle; rapid growth rate; vigorous growth habit; suitable             for 15-cm to 35-cm containers; leaf petioles basal and             orientated mostly upright, leaning slightly outwardly with             development.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of leaf plane.—About 90             cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 90 cm. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Length.—About 35 cm.         -   Width.—About 24 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute to cuspidate.         -   Base.—Cordate to sagittate; peltate.         -   Margin.—Entire; flat to slightly curled.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Random             and irregular spots, streaks and sectors of 191B and 193A.             Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Random and irregular             spots, blotches, streaks and sectors of 147A, 146B and 202A;             venation striped with close to 202A, 70C to 70D or 71A; at             petiole attachment, close to 79A. Fully expanded leaves,             lower surface: Random and irregular spots, streaks and             sectors of 191B, 193A and 200B; venation, striped with close             to 70C to 70D or 71A.         -   Petiole.—Aspect: Mostly erect, leaning slightly outwardly             with development. Length: About 20 cm to 60 cm. Diameter,             distal: About 4 cm to 6 cm. Diameter, proximal: About 6 cm             to 8 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 71C to             71D blending with close to 71A; random longitudinal streaks             and stripes, close to 202A.         -   Wing.—Length: About 23 cm to 33 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 cm             to 2.8 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 71A or             70C to 70D. -   Inflorescence description: Inflorescence initiation and development     have not been observed on plants of the new Colocasia. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Colocasia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Colocasia. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Colocasia have been     observed to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to     about 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct Colocasia plant named ‘Mojito’ as illustrated and described. 